On August 1, USA Hockey’s new playing rules for the upcoming season went into effect.

The newly updated rules will cover the next four seasons (2025-2029), with the next round of updates coming in August of 2029.

What’s New for 2025-26

Two rule changes that got a lot of attention – and significant input from the USA Hockey Player Development Committee and Player Development Managers – were around delayed/tag-up offsides and shorthanded icing. 

The new “Icing the Puck rule” allows teams at the Youth 15 Only and above, and Girls

16U and above levels to ice the puck while playing short-handed. It also requires faceoffs to occur at center ice if game officials err in calling icing. The new “Offside” rule allows teams at the Youth 15 Only and above and Girls 16U and above levels to play with Delayed/Tag-up Offsides and also removes the automatic whistle for shooting the puck into the attacking end zone “on net” with attacking players still in the end zone.

“Prior to the update, our rule book stated that if a team was offsides, it was an immediate whistle and a faceoff,” said Dave LaBuda, USA Hockey National Referee-in-Chief. “What the organization did was modify the rule so that teams at the Youth 15 Only and above and Girls 16U and above can play delayed tag-up offsides. This technically means if a teammate shoots the puck in and his or her other teammates are offsides in the end zone, they have the opportunity to tag up simultaneously or clear the zone, and then they can come back in to play the puck if the puck hasn’t left the zone yet.” 

In addition to rules related to offsides and icing, some other updates to the rulebook centered around neck laceration protection (now required for all youth, girls and high school players as well as officials under the age of 18), officials’ abuse and misconduct (mandates a game misconduct penalty to any player or coach who uses obscene, profane or abusive language to any person after the game) and Disabled Hockey, which had its playing rules added to the USA Hockey general rulebook this year.

How We Got Here

Rule changes of this magnitude are not made in a vacuum. In fact, each proposed change undergoes a litany of discussion and review by the various councils, sections and committees before they’re voted on by the USA Hockey Congress.

What everyone in the hockey community may not be aware of, is that all USA Hockey members may submit proposals during the submission period. LaBuda says it can be a parent, a player, a coach, an official or an administrator that can submit a rule change. It is truly intended to be a team effort, with a spirit of collaboration at the forefront. 

“Most rule change proposals come from our general membership,” said Jack Witt, Associate Coach-in-Chief of the Rocky Mountain District and a member of the Playing Rules Committee since 2001. “Some, and often the most significant, come from our Player Development and Officiating groups. Everyone is trying to make the game better, but in looking at any proposal, the Committee has to determine its applicability nationwide, at various ages and levels of play. Some proposals address problems, or perceived problems, that really aren’t that common. We are all trying to do what’s best for the game, and our members.”

As for the process, according to USA Hockey Bylaw 8.A.(2).(a), the USA Hockey Playing Rules shall undergo a rule change process every four years. The process was as follows:

• January 2 - March 31, 2024 - Submission window is open for Rule Change Proposals.
• April 1 - June 1, 2024 - Initial rule change proposals are reviewed by the USA Hockey Playing Rules Committee and given initial decision as "recommended", "not recommended", or "referred" for feedback by appropriate USA Hockey council, committee or section. Once completed, these recommendations will be posted on the USA Hockey website and forwarded to the Board of Directors, Congress Representatives and Affiliate Presidents.
• USA Hockey Annual Meeting - June 2024 - Review and discussion by appropriate councils, sections and committees. With possible amendments approved by the USA Hockey Congress.
• September 1, 2024 - Updated proposals are posted on the USA Hockey website and forwarded to the Board of Directors, Congress representatives and Affiliate Presidents.
• USA Hockey Winter Meeting - January 2025 - Final review and discussion by appropriate councils, sections and committees. All proposals are voted on by the USA Hockey Congress for "acceptance" or "decline".
• August 1, 2025 - New playing rule cycle begins, and the 2025-29 Playing Rules take effect to all USA Hockey sanctioned games.

Putting Plans into Practice

Now that the updated rulebook has been proposed, reviewed, voted on and finalized, the tasks of communicating changes to members and working with them to ensure they’re being enforced accurately begin. The best communication to officials, according to Witt, comes during their training. Almost all of USA Hockey’s officials go through a seminar program before they can actively officiate during a season, and any rule changes are discussed during those seminars. They will also receive a printed rule book, along with other materials when they register. Finally, rule changes were posted on usahockey.com.

With around half of all officials being under the age of 18, and likely still learning the game, it may take some time to ensure 100% understanding and proper enforcement of the new rules, though that is the goal.

“I think that USA Hockey tries very hard to maintain the integrity of our sport, while understanding that we have a large and diverse player, coach and referee population,” Witt added. “I would just ask that coaches teach the rules to their players without bias. The rules are the rules. But it’s not life and death, it’s supposed to be fun. Even NHL players talk about the fun of playing the game. We need to always put that first.”

For a video summary of the new rulebook updates, visit: rule change summary video.